Civil War Confederate Brigadier General. He was born in Washington County, Virginia, and attended Emory and Henry College before entering West Point. Graduating 10th in the class of 1848, he served on the frontier until 1857, when he resigned his commission to manage his Virginia estate. During a furlough in 1852, he married, but, while en route to his command, his bride died in a shipwreck off the Texas coast. He was never the same. He became eccentric, cantankerous, developing a razor sharp tongue, and caring little for pretense and appearance. When Virginia seceded, he was elected Captain of the Washington Mounted Rifles, which he organized. He fought at First Bull Run under J.E.B. Stuart, and the feud between the two began. He briefly served as Colonel of the 1st Virginia before assuming command of the 7th Virginia in March 1862. His solid performances at Cedar Mountain, Second Bull Run, and Antietam earned him promotion to Brigadier General on September 19. With Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's recommendation, who placed unwavering trust in him, but without Stuart's, who due to the feud couldn't abide him, he received the Laurel Brigade, a tough, veteran unit. In December he was given command of the Valley District, this was due in part to Robert E. Lee's high regard for him. In April and May of 1863, he undertook a spectacular raid into western Virginia. Penetrating nearly to the Ohio River, he inflicted heavy Union casualties while losing only a dozen men in a raid nearly unparalleled in Confederate history. Over his objections and Stuart's, he served under his old antagonist in the Gettysburg Campaign. At Brandy Station, his brigade bore the brunt of the fighting, suffering the most casualties. The animosity between the two men festered until September, when he, either verbally or in writing, abused Stuart. The corps commander ordered court martial proceedings, and on October 9 he was found guilty and transferred to the Department of Western Virginia. Thus making him one of the few general officers court martialed from its ranks. In his new assignment he once again performed brilliantly, constantly raiding into East Tennessee and blocking a Union thrust at Saltville. On June 5, 1864, at an engagement at Piedmont, while rallying his men, he died instantly with a bullet through his forehead. He was buried on the field by Federals, and his remains were reinterred after the war. (bio by: Ugaalltheway)

Thank you general for not burning the covered bridge in Barrackville, WVA which stands to this day during your raid there in April, 1863. An historical plaque stands there noting that members of the Ice family who were southern sympathizers convinced you ...(Read more)-
Monte IceAdded: Jul. 22, 2015